Three reasons to be optimistic about the Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals won four games in 2022, ending their season with seven straight losses. They fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury, replacing him with Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, and starting QB Kyler Murray suffered a season-ending knee injury. Things can only get better.
1. Changes at the top
Months after signing extensions that would’ve kept them in Arizona through 2027, former general manager Steve Keim and Kingsbury are no longer with the team. The Cardinals replaced Keim with Tennessee’s Monti Ossenfort.
Ossenfort spent the past three seasons as Titans director of player personnel after 15 seasons working in New England’s scouting department. After working so long for such defensive-minded teams, his hiring of Gannon as head coach should come as no surprise.
Gannon served the past two seasons as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator. The Eagles allowed the second-fewest yards in 2022 and led the league with 70 sacks. In 2022, Arizona managed just 36 sacks and gave up nearly 350 yards per game. Gannon should make an immediate impact on defense.
2. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins
It’s hard to believe a team can have 30 free agents and still have a little less than $14 million in cap space, but that’s where the Cardinals are. Hopkins won’t be with the team next season, but his contract can help in two ways.
According to Over The Cap, Hopkins carries a $30,750,000 cap hit if he’s on the Cardinals’ roster in 2023. Arizona can release Hopkins now and save $8 million dollars against the cap, but it can save $19 million if it releases him after June 1. Of course, they could always trade him, too.
Hopkins has disappointed, but he’s still an incredible talent that other teams will want. Hopkins’ no-trade clause became void with his recent PED suspension, so if the team can find a trade partner after June 1, it can still take $19 million off its cap and get something in return. The Cardinals might not get much, but Arizona needs assets, and it can’t afford to keep the 30-year-old receiver.
3. Third overall pick
The Cardinals have the third pick in the NFL 2023 Draft. They haven’t picked this high since 2019 when they took Kyler Murray first overall. They haven’t drafted third since 2004 when they took wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. In other words, Arizona can get a great player with its top pick and maybe more.
The Cardinals don’t need a quarterback, but the Colts, Raiders and Panthers do. A lot depends on what Chicago does with the first pick, but if teams want to get in front of Indianapolis at No. 4 overall, the Cardinals could get a haul.
According to Ourlads’ NFL Draft Value Chart, the third pick could cost a team such as Carolina its first-round pick, both second-round picks or a package that includes two first-round picks. No matter what happens, Cardinals fans should be excited about the draft.
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